Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Wednesday Morning Adventures

Most of you already know that Wednesday mornings are my kid-free time. I usually use this time to run lots of errands, and today was no different.

I went to Walgreen's, Kmart, Hallmark, and Walmart. I picked up Christmas gifts, some household items, and even a "New Home" ornament to put on our Christmas tree.

I enjoyed the seasonal songs in the stores and observed the other shoppers. I grinned from ear to ear when I overheard two different sets of grandparents trying to navigate the toy aisles to buy gifts for their grandkids. I listened happily to a woman tell me that she can't find any Barbie clothes that don't look like they belong to a stripper. She previously bought Barbies for her granddaughters, and one had a tattoo under her clothes and the other turned out to be wearing thong underwear under her clothes. Don't worry, though; she found great alternative gifts for her grandchildren at Bass Pro Shop.

I witnessed a game of Parking Lot Chicken when one grumpy old woman in a minivan refused to slow down and another grumpy old woman walking across the lot refused to wait. There were no fatalities. Just cranky looks exchange between them while I tried not to laugh.

I was surprised by kind store workers and thoughtful fellow shoppers ("I think you were in line ahead of me." "No, you were here first.").

I got everything on my lists and headed home with my spoils. I parked in my garage and walked around to the passenger side to unload all my bags.

Then I heard a strange noise.

It reminded me of when my kids stick their faces in the bath water and blow bubbles.

I tried to follow the sound. It was down low. Lower. And then I realized what it was.

My rear passenger car tire was parked in a puddle created by melted snow from the car. There was a hole in the tire, and the air rushing out of the hole was blowing bubbles in the puddle.

I didn't even have a second to panic about the tire and the fact that I had to pick up my daughter soon and then my boys in a few hours.

All I kept thinking was how cool it is that God loves me and orchestrates the details of my day. I didn't get stranded at Walmart (or any of the other stores I visited). I didn't have to cut short my list of errands. I got everything done that I needed to for the morning. I made it all the way home. AND THEN God parked my car with the tire hole positioned exactly in the puddle so it would make a noise and alert me to the problem.

I had time to call my friend Megan and ask her to pick up Nora when she went to pick up her own daughter. I'm so grateful to have a friend like Megan who didn't even hesitate to help me even though she had her own schedule to keep today. Yet another blessing in my morning. Then I had time to call Jared. His work schedule has been crazy the last couple of months, but he was able to adjust his meetings so he could come home in time to pick up the boys from school (since it's waaaay too cold to walk!).

How amazing is all of that?? I know, pretty awesome.

Every day brings new adventures, and I'm so thankful that today's adventures reminded me that people can be unexpectedly kind and that God is in the details, no matter the circumstances.